<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Love Seems Like A Curse by angrywitchpolice</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26430598">Love Seems Like A Curse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrywitchpolice/pseuds/angrywitchpolice'>angrywitchpolice</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bands, Binge Drinking, Drinking, Drinking &amp; Talking, Gay Pride, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Music, Original Character(s), Original Song, Post-Canon, Post-War, Pride</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:47:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26430598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrywitchpolice/pseuds/angrywitchpolice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What does Harry Potter do when his friends go back for an eighth year at Hogwarts? Drop off the face of the earth, join an indie-punk band and write angsty songs about the boy he fell in love with during school but would never tell? Obviously.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love Seems Like A Curse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i fully intended to publish this during pride month but life got in the way. so enjoy now!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry stepped out onto the stage.  It was a year after the war, eight months after he joined a then fairly unknown indie-punk band out of Edinburgh.   Despite everyone telling Harry he should become an Auror or join the Ministry, he couldn't stand the camera flashes or constant reporters.  He needed time to just be Harry — not Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, the man who defeated the greatest dark wizard of all time.  No, he needed time to figure himself out, build relationships and explore what else the world had to offer him.  So, he fled to a village outside of the city a month after the war ended, only telling Hermione and Ron his whereabouts.   A couple of months later, he met a few guys looking for a bandmate at a local cafe.  Seeing them perform reminded Harry how much he enjoyed singing before, you know, he spent every year just trying to survive, and so, after their set, he asked them about it. </p><p>They quickly became friends and formed a cover band.  At first, they sucked, as just about every cover band does at first.  But then, something clicked — they found their sound and even began writing their own songs.  Cole wrote lyrics and played the bass, Jasper wrote the music on his guitar, Mason banged around on the drums, and Harry just poured himself into the lyrics. Harry decided to try his hand at writing a couple of times on sleepless nights but found most of his lyrics were too influenced by magic and the war. He did keep a couple of songs he wrote, ones vague enough a wizard would get but wouldn't sound out of place among Muggles.  Not long after that, their band began picking up steam.  They needed a name, and Harry being, well, Harry, wanted to make a reference to the wizarding world.  Mudblood would have fit their vibe, but he couldn't fathom naming a band a slur, especially one now scarring his best friend's arm.  Then he thought about spells—</p><p>"Patronus," Harry mumbled one day when they were brainstorming. </p><p>"Patronus.  I like that!" Cole sat up from the couch he was laying on.  Harry looked up from fiddling with a drumstick like he used to with his wand.   "I really like that! Jasp? Mason?" Huh.  Nice.</p><p>"It's got a good ring to it.   Sure."  Jasper stopped picking at his guitar to nod.</p><p>"I'm down.  You got an idea for a logo, Harry?"  Mason stalked by Harry, snatching his drumstick</p><p>"I might,"  Harry smirked to himself.</p><p>That night, with his limited art skills, Harry drew up a concept — Patronus written in dark blue with silver antlers behind it.  The others loved it, of course, not understanding the alternate meaning for Harry, and so they kept it.</p><p>Patronus went on to become quite popular, playing many underground shows before being invited to perform at larger venues.  They became quite well known, and in May, they received an invitation to perform at the local pride event.  Jasper was openly gay, and Harry had eventually figured out he was pansexual, so they agreed happily to play sets on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.</p><p>Harry stepped out onto the stage, clad in ripped jeans, an All Time Low t-shirt, his now grown out hair left undone in the messy curls it was known for in his school years, and the pansexual flag tied like a cape around his neck.  The stage smelled like beer and cheap vodka, and the coloured lights were hot against his face.   He always loved this moment — the initial adrenaline rush of stepping on stage, the crowd cheering, even if they didn't know who he was, the way the light blinded him, leaving him alone on the stage with his bandmates.</p><p>"Good evening Edinburgh!" He yelled into the mic.  The crowd cheered, and Harry felt his face break out into a huge grin.  "We are Patronus! Welcome to Edinburgh Pride! Now, who's ready to rock out?"   Harry rode the high into the first song.   "Aye! Now, normally we'd start with an original song, but since it's pride, we thought we'd start with a cover from one of our favourite bands.  Hit it!"  Cole traded in his bass for a synth for the opening song - Girls Girls Boys.   Unbeknownst to Harry, a certain blond man and dark-haired girl stood towards the back of the audience.</p><p>Draco, like Harry, decided to get out of the limelight after he finished his eighth year.  He had to return to Hogwarts as a part of his post-war retribution.   However, as soon as they graduated, Draco and Pansy moved to a town an hour outside of Edinburgh.   Draco worked as a grocer, a relief from the constant attention from the media, and as a means to support himself after donating much of the Malfoy fortune after the war ended.  Pansy had convinced him to come to pride with her, saying he could maybe finally meet a nice guy, and even if he didn't, he could help her find a nice girl.  Once he had agreed, Pansy may have gone a little overboard.   She bought a semi-permanent hair dye to dye the gay flag on Draco's head; she bought him a large flag, small flag, t-shirt with the flag, rainbow suspenders, rainbow bracelets, as well an assortment of chokers and ear cuffs.</p><p>"Pansy," Draco laughed when she came home with all of it.  "I can't wear all of this!  I'll look ridiculous! I do have some dignity left!"</p><p>"Let me do your hair at least," She pleaded.</p><p>"Fine.  I do like these ear cuffs too," He mumbled as Pansy began squealing. </p><p>So there he was, in a questionable venue with a beer in his hand, his hair dyed a faded rainbow, wearing a loose muscle tank and black skinny jeans, staring at the stage with his jaw hanging open.  There was Harry Fucking Potter, standing on a stage with a pansexual flag tied around his neck, singing Panic! at the Disco's iconic bisexual anthem.  And boy, did he look phenomenal.</p><p>"Draco, what is it?"  Pansy asked, looking up from her phone.  It was Friday, they had only gotten there the day before, and she already had six girl's phone numbers.  He didn't even hear her and continued gaping at the stage.  "What?"  She followed his gaze.  "Is that..."</p><p>"Harry Fucking Potter," Draco breathed.  Pansy looked back to Draco and started laughing.</p><p>"You're still pining after him, aren't you?"  Draco opened his mouth to protest but closed it, unable to deny his attraction to the singing man.  "Oh my god, Draco!"   Pansy cackled.  He glared at her.</p><p>"What? He's hot, alright!"  So hot, Draco couldn't stop staring.  He hadn't seen Harry since his trial, and that was a very different man.  For the trials, Harry wore a smart grey suit, no doubt picked out by Hermione, with his hair still short and unruly but tamed with some SleakEazy.  He spoke professionally and respectfully, focusing on the defendants' actions and what they'd done for Harry rather than using his fame to pull strings.  Draco was grateful for that — the Ministry acknowledged him as an independent person now because of it.  He'd be the first to admit that Harry looked very nice during the trials — grownup, professional, a leader.  But the Harry Draco saw on stage was a completely different man.  He no longer held any sort of composure, jumping and dancing and thrusting to the music.  He was all over the stage, leaning into the audience, his long hair sticking to his face and shoulders.  When did he grow out his hair?  Draco wasn't complaining though — his hair now resembled that of a lion's mane, and all Draco could think about was running his hands through it.  Harry had also grown out of his boyish form into a well-built man.  Draco couldn't turn his focus from the way Harry clenched the microphone or threw his head back on a high note.  He wore beat-up trainers and ripped jeans and if he looked close enough, Draco was sure he saw eyeliner as well, holding none of the professionalism that he held a year ago.  Instead, Draco could see the rage Harry had pent up being poured out in his music.  He let himself go on the stage.</p><p>"He does look pretty good," Pansy agreed.  The crowd erupted around them as the band finished the first song.  Draco immediately began pushing through the crowd to get towards the front, Pansy yelling at him as he left her.  "Asshole," She muttered as she lost sight of him, but Draco didn't care.  He needed to get closer, to see more of this new Harry.</p><p>"Alright, guys! Who's having a good Pride?"  Harry asked the crowd, almost panting from the energy he emitted during the first song.  He could see the crowd a bit better now that his eyes had adjusted to the bright lights.  He smiled as the crowd cheered in response.  He was able to make out some people in the front of the crowd — a lot of glitter, dyed hair, and rainbows.  "Yeah?  Well, I know we're having a great time, isn't that right Jasper?"</p><p>"Fuck yeah!  How you feeling on those keys, Cole?"  Jasper called out, driving the crowd wild.  He always was a crowd pleaser with his brilliant smile.  Cole laughed as he grabbed his bass.</p><p>"Better with this old baby in my hands!"  He yelled without a mic.  Harry shook his head at his friend's antics.  He loved these boys.  He still loved his friends from Hogwarts of course, but there was something about making a name for himself with a handful of like-minded people, starting as a nobody with nothing in a place no one knows your name.  He kept in touch but didn't let anyone know what he was really up to.  Listening to his friends' banter on stage around him lit a fire in his soul.  He was absolutely beaming on the stage, and Draco nearly lost his breath from that dazzling smile.</p><p>"Alright, boys, behave!"  Harry laughed as Jasper pulled Cole's plug out of the amp, causing a cursing match between them.  "Alright!  This next song is an original!"  Jasper started playing a riff as Mason set the beat.</p><p>Draco was still pushing his way to the front when the band began the second song.  The crowd pulsated to the beat, and Draco kept pushing his way.  He needed to get to the barricade.  He hadn't paid much attention to the first song the band did, already knowing the song enough but also being completely transfixed by Harry Fucking Potter.  Having overcome his shock, he now paid attention to the performance.</p><p>"This song is for an old classmate,"  Harry laughed, thinking about the context.  Every time he announced the song, he felt a pang of guilt in his stomach.  He never talked to Draco after his trial, not even to check if he was okay.  He just walked away from the Ministry that night, and a few weeks later, from the whole of the wizarding world.  But he also didn't regret leaving.  Patronus was one of the best things to happen to him.</p><p>"In that heat, I thought we would burn,"  Draco's heart quickened at the sound of Harry's low voice.  "All the lesson we were supposed to learn, quickly faded 'way in that war, I wish I knew who you were."  Harry clenched his jaw in between lines, letting the power of the music take hold of him.</p><p>"But like snakes slitherin' in the dark, I swear I felt something about to start."  Draco was only a couple rows behind the barricade now, mesmerised by Harry's singing.  He felt his gut clench as he processed the song — burn, lessons, war, snakes — he laughed to himself.  Of course, the parselmouth would sing about snakes.  "But we were on different sides, and I didn't think I'd make it out alive."  Draco's heart beat faster.  The more he listened to the lyrics, the more he heard himself in them.  Can't be.  He's singing about the war.  Could be anyone, he tried to convince himself, continuing to push forward.</p><p>Meanwhile, Harry scanned the crowd.  He always did, just in case that white-blonde hair was lit up under the coloured lights.  He allowed himself that one small fantasy — the boy the song was about showing up in the crowd one night, magically falling in love with him.  He knew it was ridiculous. Guilty pleasures.</p><p>"How was I supposed to know I'd fall for you?"  Harry gave up searching the crowd and let himself go.  Draco watched in awe, now just an arms length from the barricade.  Harry captivated the stage, pulling every bit of energy out of his body and the air around him.  "Grey eyes and lips of lies and that dark tattoo!"  Draco froze.  Grey eyes... that dark tattoo... was he...  "Love seems like a curse, you made that true.  What the hell am I supposed to do with you?"  Harry was leaning down to the audience now, reaching his hand out to a handful of fans.  The opening riff poured through the speakers again as Harry turned away and began moving across the stage.  He scanned the crowd again, just for shits and giggles, until his eyes caught on a specific man — a sharp face with pastel rainbow hair.  Harry paused for a moment before turning his back to the crowd and raising his arms into the air.  Sure, it rallied the crowd, but more so, Harry needed a moment to recuperate before the rest of the song.  Hell, the rest of the set.  There's no fucking way...</p><p>Draco watched as Harry scanned the crowd before his eyes staggered onto him for a moment before he turned his back. He saw me. He looked right at me. Harry slowly turned back around, averting his gaze to another part of the crowd, before singing the next verse.</p><p>"We were just a couple of kids at the time, thought we were too young to die." Despite his best efforts, Harry couldn't stop thinking about that face. It's not him, you know that. Malfoy wouldn't show up to Edinburgh pride, much less with rainbow hair. Harry shook it off and tried to turn his focus back to his performance. "But life changes just like that, and there's just no going back."</p><p>Draco pushed one last bit, so he was at the front of the crowd, earning him a kick in the shin from a girl who got pushed back, but he couldn't care less. Harry was now right in front of him. Just look here you bumbling idiot! And Harry did.</p><p>As the chorus began again, Harry leaned forward over the most crowded spot on the barricade, his eyes catching on those sharp features again, and he knew — Draco Malfoy was standing in the audience. His stomach dropped to the floor as he tore his eyes away. As much as he had fantasised about Draco showing up in the audience one night, he thought it would be only that — a fantasy. Malfoys don't go to Muggle venues to see Muggle bands with a suspiciously magical name. Malfoys certainly don't dye their hair pastel rainbow and show up at pride events and end up seeing said Muggle band with a suspiciously magical name. Focus on the music, Harry. He tried to ground himself as he kept singing. As the chorus finished, Jasper stepped up to play his riff, and Harry stepped back to grab a water. He turned his back to the audience, bobbing along with Mason in an attempt to shake out his nerves.</p><p>Draco knew that this time, Harry had definitely seen him. He saw the slight shock cover his face and his grip on the mic falter for a split second. Harry knew, but he didn't let on. There was nothing in his performance to suggest what he was thinking other than the brief moment of shock. He whipped around to sing the bridge, although sing might be generous for the way he roared into the microphone.</p><p>"But fuck the years gone by, I got nothing left to say. Believe me, I never cried." Harry tried to resist the urge but ended up staring right at Draco as he sang the last line. "But I wish there was a way." Draco felt shivers down his spine. Did he mean that... to me? Harry tore his gaze away from Draco again to finish out the last chorus. Draco remained though, stupefied by Harry's stage presence and fire behind his eyes when he sang to Draco. His breath was lodged permanently in his throat, sweat causing his shirt to stick to his back — he couldn't tell if it was the closeness of the crowd or the fire Harry stared at him with. He couldn't pay attention to the rest of the song, eyes transfixed on Harry's near erratic dancing. As the song finished, Harry tossed his fist into the air, earning a roar from the crowd.</p><p>Harry mindlessly ran through the rest of the set. Draco stayed planted where he was, swaying to the songs as he overcame his shock. He remembered Pansy was somewhere too but assumed she found company in a sweet girl. All too soon, the set was over. Shit. Draco started pushing his way through to the side of the stage where the band disappeared behind. As they cleared the stage, Cole pulled him aside.</p><p>"You alright mate? You've been in a daze since, like, the second song." Harry was thankful for a friend like Cole — he always noticed when Harry was off, when he was zoning out during rehearsals or when they met for drinks, and he'd spend more time staring into his pint than drinking it. Harry felt guilty that he couldn't wholly confide in Cole. He couldn't just divulge into a magical war and the traumas he still carried with him. But he was thankful for the few things he could confide in — losing his parents as a baby, abuse from his childhood, dealing with school relationships and terrible teachers, losing other influential people throughout the years, unrequited love, the confusion of sexuality and trying to define it.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah I'm alright. Tired, you know? Prides draining," Harry laughed as they packed their instruments and personal equipment. Cole clapped him on the shoulder, flashing his all-knowing smile that understood Harry wouldn't, or couldn't, talk about it.</p><p>"Well, we're grabbing drinks before the next band plays. You're more than welcome to join us, as always," Cole laughed. Harry appreciated Cole's friendship, especially. He made him feel normal.</p><p>"Yeah, I'll join you soon." Harry smiled as the other three left the backstage area, leaving him sitting on an amp, nursing a stale tasting bottle of water. His skin felt on fire and muscles weak. He could feel his magic ripple under his skin in a way he hadn't felt in months. He couldn't decide if he wanted to drown his feelings in liquor, sleep for twelve hours or get lost in a crowd of sweaty bodies in the coloured lights. He only moved when the next band came through the hall, deciding it best to find his mates. As he left down the side ramp to the crowd, Harry's eyes caught on that sharp face again. Merlin's beard.</p><p>"Potter?" Draco called out as Harry walked towards him.</p><p>"Malfoy? What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Harry laughed despite the pit in his stomach. Maybe Malfoy didn't notice or care about the song earlier. Maybe he forgot by now.</p><p>"Pansy dragged me out here," Draco laughed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "So this is where you disappeared to after the war." He smiled to try to cover up the wavering in his voice.</p><p>"Yeah, I couldn't stay around the wizarding world after the war. It all drove me insane."</p><p>"I know what you mean. Pansy and I left after we finished our eighth year." The stood awkwardly together, oddly quiet among the overbearing crowd.</p><p>"Safe to assume you aren't together?" Harry finally asked.</p><p>"Us? No, we're both raging homosexuals as she'd say," Draco laughed. Harry nodded and smiled.</p><p>"Care to grab a drink?" Harry gestured to the bar where he assumed the boys were. "I'm meant to be meeting my bandmates." Butterflies erupted in Draco's stomach. He never imagined any of this in a million years — Harry Potter was inviting him to drink with his friends, entirely willingly, while looking like a rock star.</p><p>"Uh, yeah! Sure!" Draco stammered, thanking Merlin the lights covered up his blushing cheeks. Harry grabbed his wrist and started manoeuvring them through the crowd. Both men made a silent pact to ignore the sparks exploding from Harry's grasp.</p><p>"The one with blue hair is Cole," Harry yelled over his shoulder as they got closer to the bar. "The quiet one is Mason and the loud one who's probably already doing shots is Jasper." Draco's eyes widened as he realised Harry Potter was introducing him to his bandmates, his friends like they were friends.</p><p>"Alright," Draco said shakily. Blue hair, quiet, shots, blue hair, quiet, shots, blue—</p><p>"Harry!" One of the boys yelled as they approached, holding up a shot glass before downing it. Harry laughed deeply, and Draco loved the way it sounded in his ears.</p><p>"Jeez Jasp, how many rounds have you already had?" As they reached the bar, Harry dropped Draco's wrist.</p><p>"Too many." Said the blue-haired boy — Cole, Draco noted. He tried to ignore the cold on his now empty wrist. "Who's this?" He nodded towards Draco with a lazy smile.</p><p>"Right. This is an old classmate, Ma— Draco." Draco's stomach did a small flip when Harry said his name. He had always been Malfoy. He wracked his brain for any other time Harry had called him that but —</p><p>"Hi." Draco raised his hand as the other boys laughed. Harry shook his head and leaned over the bar to order.</p><p>"Well, you must be special," Said the one who hadn't spoken yet. Mason.</p><p>"Why?" Harry turned his head away from Draco to hide his blush. He was special. He was the only one of his old friends, if you could call them that, that he had written a song about. He was also the first boy to make Harry realise he might not be straight.</p><p>"You're the first person from Harry's past he's introduced us to," Cole laughed, nudging Harry in the ribs. Harry swatted him away with a goofy smile. Draco smiled, his heart fluttering slightly. I'm the first? Before Hermione, or Ron, or Ginny? Draco was so caught up analysing those few words he didn't realise Harry's blush getting darker.</p><p>"Still waiting to meet that Ginny girl you broke up with," Jasper smirked. They broke up — that actually makes sense. Her and Lovegood seemed very, very close. "She seemed good."</p><p>"You broke up with—" Draco started, brows furrowed in surprise. Harry turned to the bar and grabbed two shots. Of course, he broke up with Ginny. Well, she broke up with him technically. She realised that, after having gone through the war without Harry, she didn't want to be with Harry, she wanted to be like Harry. He didn't quite understand what she meant by it but was happy when he saw her holding hands with Luna.</p><p>"Shut up." Harry turned around and handed him a shot glass. "Drink." Draco eyed him.</p><p>"What, Potter? Trying to get me drunk?" Draco smirked and laughed. Harry glared at him, cheeks flushing slightly, before realising Draco's near-fatal mistake, Harry's eyes widening.</p><p>"Potter? Who the hell is Potter?" Jasper laughed loudly, grabbing the extra shot Harry had ordered. Harry glared at Draco, praying that he would just go along with it.</p><p>"Him. Harry Potter." Draco looked between a glaring Harry and bemused Jasper. "That's his name."</p><p>"No, it's Harry Evans." Cole looked between Draco and Harry. "Thought you two were mates?" Draco nodded slowly. It made sense for Harry to change his last name — even if a wizard saw him and got his name, he wouldn't immediately be recognised, especially with his new look.  Harry Evans was a brand new person.</p><p>"I... right." Harry's glare softened. "I confused you with the other Harry in our class. Sorry." Harry held up his shot glass in a silent "cheers", and him, Jasper and Draco drank simultaneously.</p><p>"Why'd you call him his last name anyway?" Cole asked, now nursing a beer.</p><p>"I—" Draco wasn't sure what he was starting to say, but thankfully Harry cut him off before he had to make an excuse.</p><p>"We went to this prestigious boarding school up north of Aberdeen, and everyone was called by their last names. It just sorta became a habit," Harry explained as if he had rehearsed it a hundred times. Draco understood why Harry was quick to cut him off — he already had a Muggle backstory that made sense.</p><p>"Right." Draco nodded and forced a smile.</p><p>"Well, regardless of what we call Harry, I'm looking to get fucked. Who's with me?" Jasper raised his arms triumphantly, and the other boys let out whoops of laughter. Draco laughed along, already feeling at home with these boys. They accepted him immediately, no questions asked.</p><p>"You're always looking to get fucked, whether by alcohol or the next guy you meet," Harry laughed.</p><p>"Well tonight, it's alcohol first. A round of tequila please!" The boys all groaned but smiled regardless. Harry glanced sideways to Draco, relieved to see him smiling along with his friends. He was initially worried that Draco being, well, Draco, could cause a rift, but he seemed to be behaving well. The boys even seemed to like Draco. He fit in like a missing puzzle piece they didn't know existed.</p><p>"Your livers gonna give out one of these days," Mason muttered, earning him a good shove from Jasper.</p><p>"You want anything?" Harry leaned close to Draco's ear. It was getting harder to hear as the band on stage started their set. The sound of Harry's voice so close to him sent shivers down Draco's spine. "I'm paying."</p><p>"Hmm?" Draco froze with Harry so close. He was acting much more casual than Draco ever would have expected, especially after all the time that had passed. "Um sure."</p><p>"Two tropical VKs too, please," Harry yelled back over the bar. Draco chuckled.</p><p>"VKs?" Draco leaned into Harry this time. He noticed the other boys talking and laughing next to them but didn't care enough to tune in. He was more focused on the closeness of Harry's body, the heat and energy radiating off of him, the feeling he caused in Draco's stomach, his brilliant smile in the flashing lights. Harry tried to focus on anything other than their proximity. The last time Harry remembered being this close to Draco was when he clung to him on the back of a broom, escaping the burning Room of Requirement. He liked to chalk up his heart rate and butterflies to almost dying, but at that point, nearly dying was just another Tuesday. Draco clinging to him was not, however.</p><p>"They go down like juice," Harry laughed, taking two of the tequila shots from the bar. "Take your shot and stop complaining about free alcohol." He passed one to Draco and shot him his signature crooked grin. Draco thanked Merlin for the alcohol — it made this whole interaction that much easier.</p><p>"That is true. Thank you." Draco downed his shot, cursing at the lack of salt or lime.</p><p>"What's going on with you? You never say thank you!" Harry laughed, then took his own shot, also cringing slightly.</p><p>"Never say never, P— Evans." Harry shot him a thankful glance before grabbing their drinks from the bar. "Remember, we haven't spoken in well over a year." He handed off one of the drinks and Draco downed nearly half of it in one go. Harry raised his eyebrows but raised his own bottle in a silent "cheers" and followed suit.</p><p>"I did mean to talk to you after the trial," Harry started, vaguely hearing Jasper order more shots, eliciting more groans. "But you left so quickly and then I ended up running away regardless—"</p><p>"Don't worry about it. I understand." Draco finished off his drink and eyes the next round of shots, wary of the consequences. He had already drank quite a bit with Pansy before seeing Harry's band, and the shots and VK Harry had passed him were already taken effect. Why do I have to be a lightweight? "All I was trying to say is that I've spent a lot of time growing up in the past year. A lot of self-discovery." Harry nodded and turned back to the bar, ordering more drinks. Draco paused, assessing if he could handle it, assessing if Harry should even be ordering more, before remember, ah yes Harry was performing and likely hadn't already been drinking, unlike Draco who was tipsy when the night started, a few hours before Harry's set. Might as well, he eventually decided. I'm bound to fuck up tonight, at least with alcohol I'll have an excuse, or maybe I won't even have to remember.</p><p>"Is that how you figured out you're a 'raging homosexual'?" Harry grabbed the drinks and turned back around. The other boys had drifted away down the bar slightly, but neither Harry nor Draco seemed to mind. Or, more likely, they didn't even notice.</p><p>"That? No, I figured that out a long time ago." Draco laughed.  Harry leaned against the bar and raised an eyebrow, smirking.</p><p>"Yeah? Was there someone you made you realise it?"</p><p>"There was this one bloke." It's fine. I'm drunk, Draco tried to convince himself. "Total prat. Couldn't stand him." Draco leaned against the bar next to Harry, leaning in slightly.</p><p>"Yeah?" Harry inched closer too.</p><p>"Bit of a tosser really," Draco mumbled. Harry pursed his lips before bursting out in laughter. "What? What did I say?" Draco leaned back. Harry shook his head, his body shaking with laughter.</p><p>"I just, I said that to a girl once. I was reading the Prophet before sixth year, and she asked who 'Harry Potter' was. Said he was a bit of a tosser." Draco shook his head, smiling at Harry.</p><p>"Well, she's not entirely wrong, you know," Draco muttered before taking a long sip of his drink while Harry slapped his arm. "Hey!"</p><p>"You're a bit of a tosser," Harry laughed. They shared a look, speaking unnecessary words they both considered for many years. Harry felt a pull in his gut he hadn't felt with any of the people who had asked him on dates in the past year; Draco similarly felt this pull but couldn't recognise what it meant right away.</p><p>"I was," Draco mumbled after taking a sip of his drink. Harry furrowed his brow. "I was an ass to you and your friends. To pretty much everyone, let's be honest." Draco stared down at the bar, swirling his drink. Harry cocked his head to the side, observing Draco.</p><p>"I've got the sense you've changed since then," He finally mumbled. Draco looked up and laughed.</p><p>"Hasn't everything?" Harry smiled and nodded. "I mean, you're in a rock band, my hair is dyed, and we're actually getting along right now." Draco laughed again and shook his head.</p><p>"That's fair."  Harry took a long drink and smiled. "I'm glad it has."</p><p>"Me too." The men shared a long smile, the band in the background being drowned out. Warmth flooded Draco's stomach, and as much as he wanted to blame the alcohol, he knew it was much more. </p><p>"Care to dance?" Harry asked after finishing his drink. Draco choked on his drink and sputtered. "Or maybe some water first?" Harry laughed, patting Draco's back as he recovered.</p><p>"No, dancing's good," He coughed. Harry laughed and held out his hand.</p><p>"C'mon." Draco gently took it and let Harry lead them into the crowd. Their hearts beat to the beat of the music as Harry turned around to face Draco. Draco noted how his dancing had greatly improved since their fourth year, now that Harry had actually gained a sense of rhythm. He didn't let go of Draco's hand, instead pulling him close as the bodies pressed in around them. A dazed smiled covered Harry's face that made Draco nearly melt. They gravitated towards each other as the music faded from their focus. Before either knew it, their lips met, and everything stopped for a moment.</p><p>In the middle of a crowd, the wizarding world's golden boy saviour, with his long hair and ripped jeans and pride flag cape, was kissing the Malfoy heir with pastel rainbow hair and tequila breath, and nothing felt more right at that moment. Draco ran his hands through Harry's curls, thanking whatever entity it was that was allowing this dream to come true. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's thin waist, pulling him flush against his body, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Just a few people away, Pansy watched with a smirk before turning back to the girl she was dancing with.</p><p>"I've got— hmm—" Harry pulled away slightly as Draco kept leaning in. "I've got a flat, not too far from here—"</p><p>"What?" Draco pulled back. He didn't even expect to talk to Harry, let alone kiss him and now—</p><p>"If you needed a place to stay," Harry stumbled over his words, eyes wide, hoping he didn't scare Draco. "I mean, of course, you don't have to—"</p><p>"No, that's fine," Draco laughed. "I'll need to let Pansy know—"</p><p>"Right of course," Harry smiled. Draco's eyes gleamed under the flashing coloured lights, and Harry tried to keep his breath steady. Draco untangled himself with a dazed smile gracing his face and pulled his phone out to text Pansy. He drafted a sloppy text saying he was with Harry and was fine before turning his attention back to Harry. He was still moving to the music but kept his eyes fixed on Draco.</p><p>"Happy pride," Harry murmured, pulling Draco close again.</p><p>"Happy pride." </p><p>===</p><p>In that heat, I thought we would burn,<br/>
All the lesson we were supposed to learn<br/>
Quickly faded 'way in that war.<br/>
I wish I knew who you were.</p><p>But like snakes slitherin' in the dark,<br/>
I swear I felt something about to start.<br/>
But we were on different sides,<br/>
And I didn't think I'd make it out alive.</p><p>How was I supposed to know I'd fall for you?<br/>
Grey eyes and lips of lies and that dark tattoo.<br/>
Love seems like a curse, you made that true,<br/>
What the hell am I supposed to do with you?</p><p>We were just a couple of kids at the time,<br/>
Thought we were too young to die,<br/>
But life changes just like that,<br/>
And there's just no going back.</p><p>How was I supposed to know I'd fall for you?<br/>
Grey eyes and lips of lies and that dark tattoo.<br/>
Love seems like a curse, you made that true,<br/>
What the hell am I supposed to do with you?</p><p>But fuck the years gone by,<br/>
I got nothing left to say.<br/>
Believe me, I never cried,<br/>
But I wish there was a way.</p><p>How was I supposed to know I'd fall for you?<br/>
Grey eyes and lips of lies and that dark tattoo.<br/>
Love seems like a curse, you made that true,<br/>
What the hell am I supposed to do with you?</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>